whitewolffandomcom-20200213-history
Cairo (WOD)
Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Middle East and second-largest in Africa after Lagos. Its metropolitan area is the 16th largest in the world. Located near the Nile Delta, it was founded in 969 CE. Overview }} Sometimes called Umm el-Dunya ("Mother of the World"), Egypt's capital was once also the heart of the Fatimid Empire. This ancient cosmopolitan city is a true anomaly, where East and West blend with traditional and progressive. It is a melange of cultures: Almost every major culture that dominated Egypt has made its mark on the city. Originally the town of Fustat, the region was built upon by Persians, Romans, Byzantines, and finally the Arabs, who christened it Al Qahira ("The Victorious"). At Cairo's very heart is ("Liberation Square"). Near it is the , founded in the 19th century and dedicated to the preservation of Pharaonic antiquities. To the southeast lie Cairo's Muslim cemeteries and necropoli, including the , where Cairenes actually live and mingle among the mausoleums of their dead. To the north lie the densely populated urban neighborhoods of and , as well as , the city's train station. , in the middle of the Nile, is the home of Cairo's rich and elite. Just south of Midan Tahrir is , with more residences and embassies. Further south is , the city's Coptic center. Vampire: The Masquerade Cairo is a rarity in the world of the Kindred. Its supernatural community has been lorded over since the 14th century by the Caitiff Mukhtar Bey, a Turkish Mamluk who has successfully negotiated centuries of political strife. The city, while officially aligned to the Camarilla, is home to several factions organized into khittas, loosely defined districts that are the domain of a particular Clan or lineage. These domains are usually self-governed, but all answer to Bey in the end, who accepts a representative from each khitta in his Consultative Council, a body similar to the Primogen of other cities. The prince also retains the right to declare an area Elysium. Most of these khittas predate the Camarilla, resulting in a colorful mix of vampires from different Clans. Central Cairo has been declared a khitta-free zone, where vampires of every Clan can gather. This area is under the protection of Prince Bey, and no harm may be done to those who seek asylum there. There is only one Clan that is banned from entering the city, and that are the Giovanni, thanks to an understanding between Mukhtar Bey and one of the last surviving Cappadocians, the methuselah Angelique who makes her haven in Saqqara. In exchange for Bey keeping the Giovanni outside the city, Angelique reports the occurrences of the Shadowlands to the Prince and works to keep trouble with ghosts to a minimum. There are nine khittas, who respect Beys rule over the city: * Banu Duval, named after the Toreador Jean-Baptiste Duval, who arrived with Napoleon and whose descendants lay claim to the khitta * Banu Yashkur, founded by the Assamite Antara, which acts as an anchor-head of Alamut into the region and is one of the most respected domains within the city * Banu Al-Azraq, home to the native Ventrue that claim lineage from the cities former prince, the Roman Antinous * Banu al-Hajj, founded by the Ibn Ja'far (a descendant of the Nosferatu sorcerer Tarique), which is a part of the Ashirra and primary populated by Nosferatu, who seek to protect the Islamic inhabitants * Banu al-Lam’a, founded by the Lasombra Sharif al-Lam'a and now home to his childe Fatima, one of the few Lasombra that managed to stay outside the Sabbat and is instead allied to the Ashirra, due to agreements with the Friends of the Night and Prince Bey * Banu Ahl ar-Raya, home to a few of the True Brujah lineage descending from the pre-hellenic Agonistes * Banu al As-Sa'idi, the only "legitimate" domain of the Setites and represented by Izzat Al-Khunzir * Nile Islands, home to the palace of Mukhtar Bey himself and the adjacent Banu Zamalek, which acts as a refuge for Caitiffs from all over the world. Outside the city is the Banu Al-Giza, home to a reclusive line of Gangrel known as the Disciples of Anubis, who have been there since pharaonic times. The Tremere have a chantry near the Museum in Free Cairo, through negotiations with the prince in the 19th century. The Sabbat, surprisingly, also makes his presence within the city: As long as members of the sect refrain from acts of direct violence and have the sponsoring of one of the descendants of al-Lam'a, they are tolerated and have the same rights as any other vampire who has been accepted by the prince. This arrangement has satisfied both the Camarilla Kindred, who know that as long as Sabbat vampires are within the borders of Cairo, they have to accept parts of Camarilla law, most notably the Traditions, and the Sabbat, who gains access to the resources of one of the biggest urban centers in the Middle East. Despite this, some packs rebel against this agreement, seeing it as a violation of the original spirit of their sect. There is also at least one Inconnu monitor within the borders of the city, and the now extinct Children of Osiris used to have a temple, called the House of Peace, within the cities borders. Next to Bey, the other power factions within Cairo are the Followers of Set. The Snake Clan sees the city as their territory, and regular attempts have been made to oust the Caitiff, which resulted in eruptions of supernatural violence. The Clan, next to its legal representation to the Prince, is centered around their local, subterranean Temple, the Dream Court. As one of the biggest temple complexes of the Clan, the Dream Court is famed among Setites worldwide, and home to several schools of thought and alternate Paths of Enlightenment to the Path of Typhon, like the Path of Ecstasy. Several mortal institutions, from mortal clubs (with "The Violet Hold" as their most prominent) to the wastewater systems, are under their control. In the Final Nights, rumors are abounding of a figure named Afifa, a Thin-blooded women bearing a crescent mark, who is pregnant. Most cite the Book of Nod that this is one of the signs of the impending Gehenna and desperately seek the Thin-blood and her child for their own agendas. Werewolf: The Apocalypse Despite Cairo's status as a hotbed of vampire activity and Mukhtar Bey's reputation as a Lupine slayer, the Garou still maintain territory within the city. Two septs, the Sept of Shagaret al-Durr in one of Cairo's ancient graveyards and the Dar al-Salam Caern, are under the stewardship of the Bone Gnawers, while the Sept of the Solar Barque, once a Caern of the Silent Striders, is under Glass Walker control. Besides the Garou, a population of Ratkin makes its home under the city, and several Bubasti Den-Realms are situated here, who negotiate with the local Setites to gain permission to breed with their captured and ghouled Kinfolk, while Ananasi plot silently in the shadows, concerned with their own affairs. Some Nagah are drawn to Cairo, investigating rumors of corruption among the local breeds, but no action has been taken so far. The hold of the Wyrm over Cairo is also potent. Next to the Leech population, the Black Spiral Dancers are present in great numbers, centered around one of their strongest Pits, the Hive of the Thrashing Serpent. Endron has a headquarter here, centered around the new oil pipeline named "Apophis". Additionally, the city is plagued by strange diseases that seem to originate in the Wyrm, the latest being "Jackal Fever", which even afflicted Garou and caused an upsurge in Bane activity. Both the Ratkin and the Bone Gnawers slowly fall to this corruptive influence. Meanwhile, the Silent Strider Buries-the-Dead makes himself ready to take over Cairo and expulse the local Leeches once and for all. To this end, he gathers Garou from all tribes for an assault against the city. Mage: The Ascension Cairo is home to one the nodes that constitute the Web of Faith, and is, as a result, monitored by the Ahl-i-Batin. The Dreamspeakers are reported to have one Chantry within the city, and once, the Hem-Ka Sobk Craft made its residence in the outer slums, before they vanished and, supposedly, fell in league with the Amkhat. The Primus of the Hermetic House Shaea, Daira Kashaf, has her residence in the city. Wraith: The Oblivion The Necropolis of Cairo is centered around the vast inner-city necropolis. Restless ghosts continue to be present at the Citadel in the center, as well as the cities of the dead. The Sixth Great Maelstrom has damaged the Necropoli, but the Wraiths are already at the reconstruction, even without central leadership from Stygia. Other Wraiths have found sanctuary in the gigantic relic necropolis of Saqqara, seeking shelter from the raging Maelstrom as well as Stygian legionnaires who could seek to reestablish the dominance of their Empire. Changeling: The Dreaming (...) Hunter: The Reckoning The Arcanum has an influential chapter-house in Cairo to study the lore of ancient Egypt. The Ikhwan Al-Safa's oldest lodge, Dar-El-Adil ("House of Justice"), lies in Cairo and its residents are among the most dedicated of Cairo, although rumors poison its reputation that they cooperate with the Ashirra to destroy heathenish vampires. Both the Akritai and the Society of Leopold entertain small bases within the city, scouting for careless vampires. The Imbued have two safehouses in the city, but no standing organization. Many come and go, tracking a particular monster that has earned their ire and has fled to Cairo to keep a low profile. Mummy: The Resurrection The Amenti have arrived in Cairo, but are forced to keep a low profile, due to the presence of so many vampires and similar corrupted beings. By now, they are learning what they can about the different factions of the city and working to use the groups' mistrust and old rivalries to the advantage of Ma'at. Demon: The Fallen (...) Gallery Cairo1.png Cairo2.png Cairo3.png Cairo4.png Cairo5.png Cairo6.png Cairo7.png Cairo8.png Cairo9.png Cairo10.png Cairo11.png Cairo12.png Cairo13.png Cairo14.png Cairo15.png References Category:Vampire: The Masquerade geography Category:Cities (WOD)